Kenya's Auditor General Nancy Gathungu was unanimously elected as the chairperson of the African Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions English-speaking countries (AFROSAI-E) in Accra, Ghana on Wednesday, May 10.
The event theme was AFROSAI-E 2023 Strategic Review and Nineteenth Governing Board Meeting.
“As guardians of public trust, we have a vital role in protecting the public interest and promoting the efficient and effective use of public resources,” she noted.
The organization brings together 26 Auditors-General from English-speaking African countries.
Furthermore, the Auditor General of Eritrea Cherezgiher Chirum was elected as the vice chairperson.
At the same event, the supreme audit institution of Ghana, Ghana Audit Service, won the prize for the best performance audit report within the AFROSAI-E region.
Additionally, Gathungu noted that in the process to close the audit expectation gap, auditors-general should involve stakeholders in their work.
“We must consider the needs of our stakeholders while also reflecting on the constraints to our resources, independence, and mandates,” she added.
Also in the AFROSAI-E meeting were partner Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs), stakeholders, and donor organisations. They help in the capacity-building of audit organisations.
Nancy Gathungu was appointed as the auditor-general on July 17, 2020.
In March 2023, she acknowledged that one of the challenges of her office was that the office of the auditor-general was continuously underfunded.
While addressing the Budget and Appropriations Committee she requested more funding for her office in the financial year 2023/2024.
“We are requesting Sh2.5 billion out of the shortfall of Sh3.63 billion to cater for additional audit scope and other critical areas of our operations,” she stated.
Auditor General is an Independent Office established under Article 229 of the Constitution of Kenya. It is mandated to audit and report on the use and management of public resources by public entities.
